(New shows are in bold)
MONDAY
8:00-8:30 PM   HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
8:30-9:00 PM   PARTNERS
9:00-9:30 PM   2 BROKE GIRLS
9:30-10:00 PM   MIKE & MOLLY
10:00-11:00 PM HAWAII FIVE-0

TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM   NCIS
9:00-10:00 PM   NCIS: LOS ANGELES
10:00-11:00 PM VEGAS

WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM   SURVIVOR
9:00-10:00 PM  CRIMINAL MINDS
10:00-11:00 PM  CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION

THURSDAY
8:00-8:30 PM    THE BIG BANG THEORY
8:30-9:00 PM    TWO AND A HALF MEN
9:00-10:00 PM   PERSON OF INTEREST
10:00-11:00 PM  ELEMENTARY

FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM    CSI: NY
9:00-10:00 PM   MADE IN JERSEY
10:00-11:00 PM  BLUE BLOODS

SATURDAY
8:00-9:00 PM    CRIMETIME SATURDAY
9:00-10:00 PM   CRIMETIME SATURDAY
10:00-11:00 PM  48 HOURS MYSTERY

SUNDAY
7:00-8:00 PM    60 MINUTES
8:00-9:00 PM    THE AMAZING RACE
9:00-10:00 PM   THE GOOD WIFE
10:00-11:00 PM THE MENTALIST
Show descriptions at the “Continue Reading” link

2012-13 NEW CBS SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

New CBS dramas for 2011/12

ELEMENTARY stars Jonny Lee Miller as detective Sherlock Holmes and Lucy Liu as Dr. Joan Watson in a modern-day drama about a crime-solving duo that cracks the NYPD’s most impossible cases. Following his fall from grace in London and a stint in rehab, eccentric Sherlock escapes to Manhattan where his wealthy father forces him to live with his worst nightmare – a sober companion, Dr. Watson. A successful surgeon until she lost a patient and her license three years ago, Watson views her current job as another opportunity to help people, as well as paying a penance. However, the restless Sherlock is nothing like her previous clients. He informs her that none of her expertise as an addiction specialist applies to him and he’s devised his own post-rehab regimen – resuming his work as a police consultant in New York City. Watson has no choice but to accompany her irascible new charge on his jobs. But Sherlock finds her medical background helpful, and Watson realizes she has a knack for playing investigator. Sherlock’s police contact, Capt. Tobias “Toby” Gregson (Aidan Quinn), knows from previous experience working with Scotland Yard that Sherlock is brilliant at closing cases, and welcomes him as part of the team. With the mischievous Sherlock Holmes now running free in New York solving crimes, it’s simple deduction that he’s going to need someone to keep him grounded, and it’s elementary that it’s a job for Watson. Rob Doherty, Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly and Michael Cuesta, who directed the pilot, are executive producers for CBS Television Studios.

Sean’s Take: Hey, didn’t the BBC also launch a modern version of Sherlock?  And didn’t they threaten to sue CBS over it?  Yeah … good going folks.

Dennis Quaid and Michael Chiklis star in VEGAS, a drama inspired by the true story of former Las Vegas Sheriff Ralph Lamb, a fourth-generation rancher tasked with bringing order to Las Vegas in the 1960s, a gambling and entertainment mecca emerging from the tumbleweeds. Ralph Lamb (Quaid) wants to be left in peace to run his ranch, but Las Vegas is now swelling with outsiders and corruption which are intruding on his simple life. Recalling Lamb’s command as a military police officer during World War II, the Mayor appeals to his sense of duty to look into a murder of a casino worker – and so begins Lamb’s clash with Vincent Savino (Chiklis), a ruthless Chicago gangster who plans to make Vegas his own. Assisting Lamb in keeping law and order are his two deputies: his diplomatic, even-keeled brother Jack (Jason O’Mara) and his charming but impulsive son, Dixon (Taylor Handley). Ambitious Assistant District Attorney Katherine O’Connell (Carrie-Anne Moss), who grew up on the ranch next to the Lambs, also lends a hand in preserving justice. In Vegas, two powerful men – Lamb and Savino – are engaged in a fierce battle for control of the budding oasis, and for both of them, folding is not an option. Nicholas Pileggi, Greg Walker, Cathy Konrad, Arthur Sarkissian and James Mangold, who also directed the pilot, are the executive producers for CBS Television Studios.

Sean’s Take: Okay, didn’t The Playboy Club and Pan Am prove last season that 1960′s dramas on network television don’t work?

MADE IN JERSEY is a drama about a young working-class woman who uses her street smarts to compete among her pedigreed Manhattan colleagues at a prestigious New York law firm. Martina Garretti (Janet Montgomery) finds her firm’s cutthroat landscape challenging, but what she lacks in an Ivy League education she more than makes up for with tenacity and blue-collar insight. After just a few weeks, firm founder Donovan Stark (Kyle MacLachlan), takes note of Martina’s ingenuity and resourcefulness, as does her sassy secretary Cyndi Vega (Toni Trucks). With the support of her big Italian family, including her sexy older sister Bonnie (Erin Cummings), Martina is able to stay true to her roots as a bold, passionate lawyer on the rise in a new intimidating environment. Jamie Tarses, Kevin Falls, Julia Franz and Mark Waters, who also directed the pilot, are the executive producers for Sony Pictures Television in association with CBS Television Studios. Pilot was written by creator and co-executive producer Dana Calvo.

Sean’s Take: I loved this when it was a movie called Working Girl and she was from Staten Island.  There just aren’t enough shows with “Jersey” in the title out there as well.

New CBS Comedy for 2012/13

PARTNERS is a comedy based on the lives of creators David Kohan and Max Mutchnick, about two life-long best friends and business partners whose “bromance” is tested when one of them is engaged to be married. Joe (David Krumholtz) is an accomplished architect who leads with his head and not his heart, especially in his love life. That’s in stark contrast to his gay co-worker, Louis (Michael Urie), who is spontaneous, emotional and prone to exaggeration. Both have found joy in their love lives: Joe is newly engaged to Ali (Sophia Bush), a beautiful and sophisticated jewelry designer, while Louis is dating Wyatt (Brandon Routh), a vegan nurse who Louis insists is just a promotion away from becoming a doctor. As news of Joe’s engagement settles, time will tell if their business and personal bond can adapt to the addition of two other important relationships. Emmy Award winners David Kohan and Max Mutchnick are executive producers for Warner Bros. Television. Emmy Award winner James Burrows directed the pilot.

Sean’s Take: Lost me, literally, at “bromance.”

The New CBS Midseason Series

GOLDEN BOY is a drama about the meteoric rise of an ambitious cop who becomes the youngest police commissioner in the history of New York City, and the high personal and professional cost he pays to achieve it. As he’s interviewed for a story about his career, Walter William Clark, Jr. (Theo James) flashes back on his hard-fought journey from street kid to the most powerful man in law enforcement. After only three years as a beat cop, Clark’s heroics on the job make him bold enough to ask for and receive the unheard – of promotion to Homicide Detective, angering the members of his new department who are eager to see him fail. Clark’s disappointed to be partnered with veteran Detective Don Owen (Chi McBride), a gruff lifer just two years shy of retirement. He would rather team with First Grade Detective Christian Arroyo (Kevin Alejandro), the alpha dog in the squad who’s just as ambitious as Clark, but without a moral center. Arroyo’s partner is Detective Deborah McKenzie (Bonnie Somerville), a tough third-generation cop and the only female detective in the unit. Also on the team is Detective Joe Diaco (Holt McCallany), well-connected with tremendous resources which Clark might find useful. Though laser-focused on moving up the ladder, Clark’s soft spot is serving as the sole caregiver and supporter of his sister, Agnes (Stella Maeve), a teenager demonstrating increasingly dangerous behavior. Keenly observant and politically savvy, the Golden Boy bases his career decisions solely on his need to succeed as quickly as possible, and he’ll find that his epic journey will be filled with consequences. Greg Berlanti, Emmy Award winner Nicholas Wootton and Richard Shepard, who directed the pilot, are executive producers for Warner Bros. Television.

Sean’s Take: Hmm, kind of interesting as it’s told in flashback.  Otherwise sounds very formulaic for a cop story.

FRIEND ME is a comedy about two 20-something best friends who just moved from Indiana to Los Angeles to start cool new jobs, but can’t agree on how to socially engage in their new city. Rob (Nicholas Braun) is eager to embrace the L.A. scene and meet new people who aren’t looking down at their smart phones or laptops. Evan (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), however, prefers to socialize online at home in his underwear, web-chatting and playing poker with his Hoosier buddies Mike (Parveesh Cheena), Sully (Tim Robinson) and Farhad (Dan Ahdoot) just a keystroke away. Meanwhile, Rob’s had enough of iChatting, and naively posts a flyer seeking new friends on the coffee house bulletin board, despite Evan’s warning that no good can come from meeting strangers in person. Soon the calls start rolling in, some with potential, some just disturbing, and Rob and a reluctant Evan embark on what will be a series of the most epic adventures – and disasters – of their lives. Alan Kirschenbaum and Ajay Sahgal, Eric and Kim Tannenbaum, are executive producers for CBS Television Studios, in association with The Tannenbaum Company. The pilot was directed by Pamela Fryman.

Sean’s Take: It’s based on Groupon, but yet is called “Friend Me,” which is most associated with Facebook.  If you can’t even get your terminology right …

From reality show masters Michael Davies (“Who Wants To Be A Millionaire,” “Watch What Happens Live”) and Mark Burnett (“Survivor,” “The Voice”) comes a new reality series, THE JOB, where every week talented candidates are chosen from across the country for a chance to win their dream job at one of America’s most prestigious companies. Host Lisa Ling guides participants through several rounds of the most intense interviews of their lives, including challenges ranging from an on-the-spot quiz to assess their knowledge of the company to deadline-driven tasks while spending a day on the job. But the candidates aren’t the only ones in the hot seat. Adding to the pressure, a rival company is also present and waiting for an opportunity to swoop in and steal any of the contenders by making a competing offer. The participant must then decide immediately whether they will take the rival’s offer or stay in the competition in the hope that they are the last one standing for this once-in-a-lifetime job opportunity. Produced by Sony Pictures Television and Embassy Row.

Sean’s Take: “We’re doing so well with Undercover Boss …”

The Overall Take

As I said last year:

CBS played it very safe this year, and I can’t say as I blame them.  They’re the number one network right now, so you don’t want to mess with success even when bringing in new shows; you’re going to want to stick with tried and true concepts tha you know won’t drive away viewers.

Post from: SeanPAune.com

CBS 2012/2013 Schedule Announced

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(New shows are in bold)

MONDAY
8/7c Dancing With the Stars/The Bachelor (in January)
10 pm Castle

TUESDAY
8 pm DWTS Results
9 Happy Endings
9:30 pm Don’t Trust the B—– In Apartment 23
10 pm Private Practice
In January
8 pm HOW TO LIVE WITH YOUR PARENTS FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE
8:30 THE FAMILY TOOLS

WEDNESDAY
8 pm The Middle
8:30 pm Suburgatory
9 pm Modern Family
9:30 THE NEIGHBORS
10 pm NASHVILLE

THURSDAY
8 pm LAST RESORT
9 pm Grey’s Anatomy
10 pm Scandal

FRIDAY
8 pm Shark Tank
9 pm Primetime: What Would You Do?
10 pm 20/20
In November
8 pm Last Man Standing
8:30 pm MALIBU COUNTRY
9 pm Shark Tank
10 pm Primetime: What Would You Do?

SATURDAY
8 pm Saturday Night College Football

SUNDAY
7 America’s Funniest Home Videos
8 pm Once Upon a Time
9 pm Revenge
10 pm 666 PARK AVENUE

Show descriptions at the “Continue Reading” link

2011-12 NEW ABC SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

New ABC dramas for 2011/12

“666 PARK AVENUE”

At the ominous address of 666 Park Avenue, anything you desire can be yours. Everyone has needs, desires and ambition. For the residents of The Drake, these will all be met, courtesy of the building’s mysterious owner, Gavin Doran (Terry O’Quinn). But every Faustian contract comes with a price. When Jane Van Veen (Rachael Taylor) and Henry Martin (Dave Annable), an idealistic young couple from the Midwest, are offered the opportunity to manage the historic building, they not only fall prey to the machinations of Doran and his mysterious wife, Olivia (Vanessa Williams), but unwittingly begin to experience the shadowy, supernatural forces within the building that imprison and endanger the lives of the residents inside. Sexy, seductive and inviting, The Drake maintains a dark hold over all of its residents, tempting them through their ambitions and desires, in this chilling new drama that’s home to an epic struggle of good versus evil.

“666 Park Avenue” stars Rachael Taylor (“Charlie’s Angels,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” Transformers) as Jane Van Veen, Dave Annable (“Brothers & Sisters,” “Reunion”) as Henry Martin, Robert Buckley (“One Tree Hill,” “Lipstick Jungle”) as Brian Leonard, Mercedes Masöhn (“The Finder,” “Chuck,” “Three Rivers”) as Louise Leonard, Helena Mattsson (“Iron Man 2,” “Nikita,” “Desperate Housewives”) as Alexis Blume, Samantha Logan as Nona Clark, with Vanessa Williams (“Desperate Housewives,” “Ugly Betty,” “Shaft,” “Soul Food”) as Olivia Doran and Terry O’Quinn (“Lost,” “Millennium,” “Hawaii Five-0,” “Alias,” “The West Wing,” “Jag”) as Gavin Doran.

Based on the book series by Gabriella Pierce, “666 Park Avenue” was written by David Wilcox (“Fringe,” “Life on Mars”), who is also an executive producer along with Matthew Miller (“Chuck,” “Human Target”), Leslie Morgenstein (“Gossip Girl,” “The Vampire Diaries,” “Pretty Little Liars,” “The Lying Game,” “The Secret Circle,” “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”), Gina Girolamo (“The Secret Circle,” “The Lying Game”) and Alex Graves (“Fringe,” “The West Wing”). The pilot for “666 Park Avenue” was directed by Alex Graves. “666 Park Avenue” is from Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Alloy Entertainment (“Gossip Girl,” “The Vampire Diaries,” “Pretty Little Liars”) and Warner Bros. Television.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/666parkave 

Twitter: Twitter.com/666ParkAve_ABC

Hashtag: #666ParkAve

Sean’s Take: I’ve never heard of the book series, but this seems like an odd fit for a Sunday evening on one of the most notoriously family friendly networks.

“LAST RESORT”

500 feet beneath the ocean’s surface, the U.S. ballistic missile submarine Colorado receive their orders. Over a radio channel, designed only to be used if their homeland has been wiped out, they’re told to fire nuclear weapons at Pakistan.

Captain Marcus Chaplin (Andre Braugher) demands confirmation of the orders only to be unceremoniously relieved of duty by the White House. XO Sam Kendal (Scott Speedman) finds himself suddenly in charge of the submarine and facing the same difficult decision. When he also refuses to fire without confirmation of the orders, the Colorado is targeted, fired upon, and hit. The submarine and its crew find themselves crippled on the ocean floor, declared rogue enemies of their own country. Now, with nowhere left to turn, Chaplin and Kendal take the sub on the run and bring the men and women of the Colorado to an exotic island. Here they will find refuge, romance and a chance at a new life, even as they try to clear their names and get home.

“Last Resort” stars Andre Braugher (“Men of a Certain Age”) as Captain Marcus Chaplin, Scott Speedman (“The Vow”) as XO Sam Kendal, Daisy Betts (“Sea Patrol”) as Lieutenant Grace Shepard, Dichen Lachman (“Being Human”) as Tani Tumrenjack, Daniel Lissing (“Crownies”) as SEAL Officer James King, Sahr Ngaujah (“House of Payne”) as Mayor Julian Serrat, Camille de Pazzis as Sophie Gerard, Autumn Reeser (“Hawaii Five-O,” “No Ordinary Family”) as Kylie Sinclair, Jessy Schram (“Falling Skies,” “Once Upon a Time”) as Christine Kendal.

Recurring guest star is Robert Patrick (“The Gangster Squad”) as Master Chief Joseph Prosser.

“Last Resort” was written by Shawn Ryan (“The Shield,” “The Unit,” “The Chicago Code”) and Karl Gajdusek, who are also executive producers along with Martin Campbell and Marney Hochman Nash. The pilot for “Last Resort” was directed by Martin Campbell. “Last Resort” is produced by Middkid Productions in association with Sony Pictures Television.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LastResortABC 

Twitter: Twitter.com/LastResort_ABC

Hashtag: #LastResort

Sean’s Take: Hmm, doesn’t hold any interest for me, but maybe a fill in for fans of LOST?

“MISTRESSES”

Welcome to a provocative and thrilling drama about the scandalous lives of a sexy and sassy group of four girlfriends, each on her own path to self-discovery, as they brave the turbulent journey together.

Meet Savi (Alyssa Milano), a successful career woman working toward the next phase in her life — both professional and personal — simultaneously bucking for partner at her law firm while she and her husband, Harry (Brett Tucker), try to start a family of their own. Savi’s free-spirited and capricious baby sister, Josselyn (Jes Macallan), couldn’t be more different – living single, serial dating and partying, and regularly leaning on her big sister along the way. Their common best friend, April (Rochelle Aytes), a recent widow and mother of two, is rebuilding her life after tragedy and learning to move forward, with the support and guidance of her closest girlfriends. And friend Karen (Yunjin Kim), a successful therapist with her own practice, reconnects with the girls after her involvement in a complicated relationship with a patient goes far too deep.

“Mistresses” is a salacious new drama about a group of friends caught in storms of excitement and self-discovery, secrecy and betrayal, and bound by the complex relationships they’ve created.

“Mistresses” stars Alyssa Milano (“New Years Eve,” “Romantically Challenged,” “Hall Pass,” “My Name Is Earl,” “Charmed,” “Melrose Place”) as Savannah, Yunjin Kim (“Lost”) as Karen, Rochelle Aytes (“Work It,” “White Collar,” “Detroit 1-8-7,” “Desperate Housewives”) as April, Jes Macallan (“Kiss Me,” “NCIS: Los Angeles,” “Crash and Burn,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Shameless”) as Josslyn, Jason George (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Closer,” “Against the Wall,” “Castle,” “Off the Map,” “Eastwick”) as Dominic, Brett Tucker (“Castle,” “Spartacus: Vengeance,” “Rizzoli & Isles,” “NCIS,” “Neighbours”) as Harry, Erik Stocklin (“Grey Sheep,” “Sick Day,” “Let’s Big Happy”) as Sam.

Guest Starring Marin Hinkle (“Two and a Half Men,” “Brothers & Sisters”) as Elisabeth, John Schneider (“Smallville,” “90210,” “Desperate Housewives”) as Thomas Grey, Shannyn Sossamon (“How to Make It in America,” “Dirt”) as Alex, Cameron Bender (“Commander in Chief,” “Whitney,” “Beverlywood”) as Richard, Kate Beahan (“Burning Man,” “Rake,” “Boston Legal”) as Miranda, Sunkrish Bala (“Notes from the Underbelly,” “I Just Want My Pants Back”) as Hamid.

Based on the U.K. television series, “Mistresses” is from K.J. Steinberg (“Gossip Girl”) and is executive-produced by Robert Sertner (“Revenge,” “No Ordinary Family”), K.J. Steinberg (“Gossip Girl”), Rina Mimoun (“Privileged,” “Gilmore Girls”) and Douglas Rae (“Wuthering Heights,” “Camelot,” “Mistresses,” “Raw,” “Meadowlands”). The pilot for “Mistresses” is directed by Cherie Nowlan. The series is from ABC Studios.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Mistresses 

Twitter: Twitter.com/Mistresses_ABC

Hashtag: #Mistresses

Sean’s Take: It’s based on a British series of the same name, but knowing how U.S. networks usually botch those types of imports, I’m going to say this one won’t last long.

“NASHVILLE”

Chart-topping Rayna James (Connie Britton) is a country legend who’s had a career any singer would envy, though lately her popularity is starting to wane. Fans still line up to get her autograph, but she’s not packing the arenas like she used to. Rayna’s record label thinks a concert tour, opening for up-and-comer Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere), the young and sexy future of country music, is just what Rayna needs. But scheming Juliette can’t wait to steal Rayna’s spotlight. Sharing a stage with that disrespectful, untalented, little vixen is the last thing Rayna wants to do, which sets up a power struggle for popularity. Could the undiscovered songwriting talent of Scarlett O’Connor (Clare Bowen) be the key to helping Rayna resurrect her career?

Complicating matters, Rayna’s wealthy but estranged father, Lamar Hampton (Powers Boothe), is a powerful force in business, Tennessee politics, and the lives of his two grown daughters. His drive for power results in a scheme to back Rayna’s handsome husband, Teddy, in a run for Mayor of Nashville, against Rayna’s wishes.

“Nashville” stars Connie Britton (“Friday Night Lights,” “American Horror Story”) as Rayna, Hayden Panettiere (“Heroes”) as Juliette, Powers Boothe (“MacGruber,” “24”) as Lamar, Charles Esten (“Enlightened,” “Big Love”) as Deacon, Eric Close (“Chaos,” “Without a Trace”) as Teddy, Clare Bowen as Scarlett, Jonathan Jackson (“General Hospital”) as Avery, Sam Palladio as Gunnar and Robert Wisdom as Coleman.

“Nashville” was written by Callie Khouri (“Thelma & Louise”) who is an executive producer along with R.J. Cutler (“The September Issue,” “The War Room,” “Flip That House,” “A Perfect Candidate”) and Steve Buchanan. The pilot for “Nashville” was directed by R.J. Cutler. The series is produced by Lionsgate, ABC Studios and Gaylord Entertainment.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NashvilleABC

Twitter: Twitter.com/Nashville_ABC

Hashtag: #Nashville

Sean’s Take: Wasn’t this a movie with Gwyneth Paltrow a year or two ago?

“RED WIDOW”

When Marta Walraven’s (Radha Mitchell) husband is brutally murdered, her first instinct is to protect her three young children. Her husband’s business partners – Irwin Petrova (Wil Traval), Marta’s scheming and untrustworthy brother, and Mike Tomlin (Lee Tergesen) — were involved in an illegal drug business deal with rival gangsters, and Marta’s husband paid the ultimate price. She already knows the violent world of organized crime; her father, Andrei Petrova (Rade Sherbedzija), and loyal bodyguard Luther (Luke Goss) are gangsters too. She and her sister Kat (Jaime Ray Newman) had always wished for a safer life without bloodshed and fear. For a while Marta lived happily as a stay at home housewife in San Marta’s cooperation, FBI Agent James Ramos (Mido Hamada) now promises justice.

Marta discovers a tenacity she never knew she had, and takes on the gangsters and the FBI to unveil the truth about her husband’s death. As she digs into this dark underworld, she’ll test her own strength, relying on her resourcefulness, determination and family ties like never before. To get out of this mob, she needs to beat the bad guys at their own deadly game.

“Red Widow” stars Radha Mitchell (“Melinda and Melinda,” “Silent Hill,” “Rogue,” “Henry Poll Is Here,” “The Children of Huang Shi,” “The Waiting City”) as Marta Walraven, Wil Traval (“Rescue Special Ops,” “Underbelly,” “All Saints”) as Irwin Petrova, Erin Moriarty (“One Life to Live”) as Natalie Walraven, Sterling Beaumon (“Arthur Newman, Golf Pro, “Clue”) as Gabriel Walraven, Lee Tergesen (“Army Wives”) as Mike Tomlin, Jakob Salvati as Boris Walraven, Mido Hamada as FBI Agent James Ramos, Luke Goss as Luther, Jaime Ray Newman (“Drop Dead Diva”) as Kat Petrova, Suleka Mathew (“Hawthorne”) as Dina Tomlin and Rade Serbedzija (“24”) as Andrei Petrova.

Based on the Dutch series “Penoza,” “Red Widow” teleplay is by Melissa Rosenberg (“Dexter” and screenwriter of the Twilight franchise). “Red Widow “is executive-produced by Melissa Rosenberg, Howard Klein (“The Office,” “Parks & Recreation”), Endemol Studios and Alon Aranya. The pilot for “Red Widow” was directed by Mark Pellington. The series is produced by ABC Studios.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/RedWidowABC

Twitter: Twitter.com/RedWidowABC

Hashtag: #RedWidow

Sean’s Take: Never heard of the Dutch original, but again, an import I’m sure that can be screwed up.

“ZERO HOUR”

As the publisher of a paranormal enthusiast magazine, Modern Skeptic, Hank Galliston has spent his career following clues, debunking myths and solving conspiracies. A confessed paranormal junkie, his motto is “logic is the compass.” But when his beautiful wife, Laila (Jacinda Barrett), is abducted from her antique clock shop, Hank gets pulled into one of the most compelling mysteries in human history, stretching around the world and back centuries.

Contained in one of his wife’s clocks is a treasure map, and what it leads to could be cataclysmic. Now it’s up to Hank to decipher the symbols and unlock the secrets of the map, while ensuring the answers don’t fall into the wrong hands – a man they call White Vincent (Michael Nyqvist). With his two young associates, Rachel (Addison Timlin) and Arron (Scott Michael Foster), in tow, along with Becca Riley, a sexy FBI agent (Carmen Ejogo), Hank will lead them on a breathless race against the clock to find his wife and save humanity.

“Zero Hour” stars Anthony Edwards (“Big Sur,” “Flipped,” “ER”) as Hank, Carmen Ejogo (“Sparkle,” “Chaos,” “Away We Go”) as Beck, Scott Michael Foster (“Californication,” “The River”) as Aaron, Addison Timlin (“Californication”) as Rachel, Jacinda Barrett (“Matching Jack,” “Middle Men,” “New York, I Love You”) as Laila and Michael Nyqvist (“Mission: Impossible – Ghost Patrol”) as White Vincent.

“Zero Hour” was written by Paul T. Scheuring (“Prison Break”) who is also an executive producer along with Pierre Morel, Lorenzo DiBonaventura (“The Transformers,” “GI: Joe” franchise, “Salt,” “Red”) and Dan McDermott (“Human Target”). The pilot for “Zero Hour” was directed by Pierre Morel. The series is produced by ABC Studios.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ZeroHourABC

Twitter: Twitter.com/ZeroHour_ABC

Hashtag: #ZeroHour

Sean’s Take: “… a breathless race against the clock to find his wife and save humanity.” That is stretched over 22 hours of television.  What do you do in season 2?

New ABC comedies for 2011/12

“HOW TO LIVE WITH YOUR PARENTS (FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE)”

Polly (Sarah Chalke) is a single mom who’s been divorced for almost a year. The transition wasn’t easy for her, especially in this economy. So, like a lot of young people living in this new reality, she and her daughter, Natalie (Rachel Eggleston), have moved back home with her eccentric parents, Elaine (Elizabeth Perkins) and Max (Brad Garrett). But Polly and her parents look at life through two different lenses. Polly’s too uptight. Her parents are too laid back. Polly’s conservative when it comes to dating (no action, whatsoever), while her parents are still sexually adventurous. They think Polly turned out okay, so what’s the big deal? Well, they say it takes a village to raise a child…and in Polly’s case, this village is on fire. But with help from her best friend Gregg (Orlando Jones), her lovable yet irresponsible ex-husband Julian (Jon Dore) and her cool and fun assistant Jenn (Rebecca Delgado Smith) Polly takes her first steps toward getting a life, starting with a social one.

“How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)” stars Sarah Chalke (“Mad Love,” “Scrubs”) as Polly, Jon Dore as Julian, Rachel Eggleston as Natalie, Brad Garrett (“Everybody Loves Raymond,” “‘Til Death”) as Max, Orlando Jones (“Rules of Engagement”) as Gregg, Elizabeth Perkins (“Weeds”) as Elaine, Rebecca Delgado Smith as Jenn.

“How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)” was written by Claudia Lonow, who is also an executive producer along with Brian Grazer and Francie Calfo. The pilot for “How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)” was directed by Julie Anne Robinson. The series is produced by 20^th Century Fox and Imagine Television.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/HowToLiveWithYourParents 

Twitter: Twitter.com/HowToLiveABC

Hashtag: #HowToLive

Sean’s Take: A stupidly long title, and Brad Garrett who has a mixed track record at best.  I smell disaster.

“MALIBU COUNTRY”

When Reba Gallagher (Reba) discovers that her husband, Bobby, (Jeffrey Nordling) a country music legend, has a cheatin’ heart, her world is turned upside down. Reba dreamt of becoming a country star herself, but put her career on hold to raise a family. Now she’s questioning all of that, big-time. With the ink on her divorce barely dry, Reba packs up her sharp-tongued mother, Lillie May (Lily Tomlin), her two kids and the U-Haul and heads for sunny California to begin a new chapter. Leaving Nashville in the rear view, they start over at their Malibu residence — the last remaining asset they have. Reba gets to know her new open and loving neighbor Kim (Sara Rue) and her son, Sage, but also discovers that relocation to Southern California is going to be quite an adjustment for a traditional southern belle: the West Coast seems like the polar opposite of Music City, and Reba feels like an outsider. Still, with the support of her family she sets about finding her voice, jump-starting her music career with the help of her new music agent, Geoffrey (Jai Rodriguez), and embracing this chance to begin again.

“Malibu Country” stars country music superstar Reba (“Reba,” “Tremors”) as Reba, Sara Rue (“Rules of Engagement,” “Less Than Perfect”) as Kim, Justin Prentice as Cash, Juliette Angelo as June, Jai Rodriguez (“Bones,” “How I Met Your Mother,” one of the original hosts of “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy”) as Geoffrey and Lily Tomlin (“Eastbound and Down,” “Damages,” “Desperate Housewives,” “West Wing,” “Nine to Five,” “All of Me,” “Nashville”) as Lillie May.

“Malibu Country” is from Kevin Abbott (“Last Man Standing,” “My Name Is Earl,” “Reba”) who executive produces along with Michael Hanel & Mindy Schultheis, Reba McEntire & Narvel Blackstock, Dave Stewart & Pam Williams, John Pasquin. The pilot for “Malibu Country” was directed by John Pasquin. The series is from ABC Studios.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/MalibuCountryABC 

Twitter: Twitter.com/Malibu_Country

Hashtag: #MalibuCountry

Sean’s Take: Reba has a huge fan base, it could go for a while.

“THE NEIGHBORS”

How well do you know your neighbors?

Meet the Weavers, Debbie (Jami Gertz) and Marty (Lenny Venito). Marty, in hopes of providing a better life for his wife and three kids, recently bought a home in Hidden Hills, a gated New Jersey townhome community with its own golf course. Hidden Hills is so exclusive that a house hasn’t come on the market in 10 years. But one finally did and the Weavers got it!

It’s clear from day one that the residents of Hidden Hills are a little different. For starters, their new neighbors all have pro-athlete names like Reggie Jackson (Tim Jo), Jackie Joyner-Kersee (Toks Olagundoye), Dick Butkis (Ian Patrick) and Larry Bird (Simon Templeman). Over dinner, Marty and his family discover that their neighbors receive nourishment through their eyes by reading books, rather than eating. The Weavers soon learn that the entire community is comprised of aliens from Zabvron, where the men bear children and everyone cries green goo from their ears.

The Zabvronians have been stationed on Earth for the past 10 years, disguised as humans, awaiting instructions from home, and the Weavers are the first humans they’ve had the opportunity to know. As it turns out, the pressures of marriage and parenthood are not exclusive to planet Earth. Two worlds will collide with hilarious consequences as everyone discovers they can “totally relate” and learn a lot from each other.

“The Neighbors” stars Jami Gertz (“Entourage,” “Modern Family,” “Still Standing,” “Ally McBeal”) as Debbie Weaver, Lenny Venito (“Bored to Death,” “Men in Black III,” “Person of Interest,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm”) as Marty Weaver, Simon Templeman as Larry Bird, Toks Olagundoye as Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Clara Mamet as Amber Weaver, Tim Jo (“Glory Daze”) as Reggie Jackson, Ian Patrick (“Wanderlust”) as Dick Butkis, Max Charles (“The Three Stooges,” “The Amazing Spider-Man”) as Max Weaver, Isabella Cramp as Abby Weaver.

Guest starring are Mitch Rouse as Real Estate Agent and Doug Jones as Alien. Co-Starring are Bruce Green as Angry Man and Mary K. DeVault as Angry Woman.

“The Neighbors” was written by Dan Fogelman (“Cars,” “Tangled,” and “Crazy, Stupid, Love”) who is also an executive producer with Aaron Kaplan, Jeff Morton (“Modern Family”) and Chris Koch (“Workaholics,” “Modern Family”). “The Neighbors” was directed by Chris Koch and is from ABC Studios.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/theneighborsABC 

Twitter: Twitter.com/TheNeighborsABC

 Hashtag: #TheNeighbors

Sean’s Take: This sounds like a series of SNL sketches, but Third Rock from the Sun and Mork & Mindy had long runs, so who knows.

“THE FAMILY TOOLS”

Mixing family with business is never easy, and Jack Shea (Kyle Bornheimer) is about to learn that lesson the hard way. When Jack’s father, Tony (J.K. Simmons), has a heart attack and is forced to hand over the keys to his beloved handyman business, Jack is eager to finally step up and make his father proud. Unfortunately Jack’s past career efforts have been less than stellar, so everyone seems to be waiting for him to fail. His new job isn’t made any easier by Tony’s rebellious, troublemaker assistant, Darren (Edi Gathegi), and Darren’s flirtatious sister, Liz (Danielle Nicolet), who works at the local hardware store. Yet with the support of his Aunt Terry (Leah Remini) and his oddball yet endearing cousin Mason (Johnny Pemberton), Jack Shea may just find his true calling right at home.

“The Family Tools” stars Kyle Bornheimer (“Bachelorette,” “Romantically Challenged,” “Perfect Couples”) as Jack Shea, J.K. Simmons (“Ultimate Spiderman,” “Generator Rex,” “The Closer”) as Tony Shea, Edi Gathegi (“X Men: First Class”) as Darren, Johnny Pemberton (“21 Jump Street,” “Aim High”) as Mason, Danielle Nicolet (“X Men TV Series”) as Liz and Leah Remini (“In the Motherhood,” “King of Queens”) as Terry.

Based on the UK series “White Van Man,” “The Family Tools” teleplay is by Bobby Bowman. “The Family Tools” is executive-produced by Bobby Bowman, Mark Gordon (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Criminal Minds”) and Andrea Shay (“It Takes a Village,” “Virtual Virgin”) and Paul Buccieri (“Prime Suspect”). The pilot for “The Family Tools” was directed by Michael Fresco (“Suburgatory,” “Raising Hope,” “Better Off Ted,” “My Name Is Earl,” “Northern Exposure,” “St. Elsewhere”). The series is from ABC Studios.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheFamilyTools

Twitter: Twitter.com/TheFamilyTools

Hashtag: #FamilyTools

 Sean’s Take: Yep, another import series.  ABC couldn’t come up with anything original this year?

The Overall Take

ABC, yet again, has some great talent on its new shows, but why so many imported show concepts?  I do find it interesting a comedy block is coming back to Fridays.  Trying to bring back the glory of the T.G.I.F. block?

Post from: SeanPAune.com

ABC 2012/2013 Schedule Announced

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New shows are in bold.

MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM BONES
9:00-10:00 PM  THE MOB DOCTOR - THE FOLLOWING joins in midseason.

TUESDAY
8:00-8:30 PM RAISING HOPE
8:30-9:00 PM  BEN AND KATE
9:00-9:30 PM NEW GIRL
9:30-10:00 PM THE MINDY PROJECT
THE GOODWIN GAMES joins in midseason.

WEDNESDAY
8:00-10:00 PM THE X FACTOR (fall) / AMERICAN IDOL (midseason)

THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM THE X FACTOR Results (fall) / AMERICAN IDOL Results (midseason)
9:00-10:00 PM GLEE

FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM TOUCH
9:00-10:00 PM  FRINGE (fall)
HELL’S KITCHEN returns in midseason.

SATURDAY
7:00-10:30 PM FOX SPORTS SATURDAY (fall)
COPS returns in midseason.
ANIMATION DOMINATION HIGH-DEF will join late-prime in 2013.

SUNDAY
7:00-7:30 PM NFL Game (fall) / ANIMATION DOMINATION (encores)
7:30-8:00 PM THE OT (fall) / THE CLEVELAND SHOW
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM BOB’S BURGERS
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD

Show descriptions at the “Continue Reading” link

2012-13 NEW Fox SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

New FOX Comedies for Fall 2012/13

BEN AND KATE
What happens when an exuberant, irresponsible dreamer who always says “yes” moves in with his overly responsible little sister to help raise her five-year-old daughter? BEN AND KATE, a new single-camera young ensemble comedy, follows these odd-couple siblings as they push each other out of their comfort zones and into real life. KATE FOX (Dakota Johnson, “The Social Network”) followed the rules all her life…until she got pregnant in college and dropped out just shy of graduation. After the birth of her daughter, MADDIE (Maggie Jones, “We Bought a Zoo,” “Footloose”), Kate put her twenties on hold. Now working as a bar manager to make ends meet and maximize her time with five-year-old Maddie, she’s uber-prepared for every possible catastrophe – except for the arrival of her older brother, BEN FOX (Nat Faxon, “Bad Teacher”). Ben likes trouble a lot more than his sister does. His infectious energy makes you want to follow him into any number of bad ideas. He’ll totally screw up your life, but somehow, you’ll feel good about it. Where Kate is all about planning and preparing, Ben is big on spontaneity and out-of-the-box ideas. But don’t let the Velcro wallet fool you – he’ll probably be a millionaire someday. When Ben comes to crash on Kate’s couch for a few days, he finds a sad state of affairs. Kate’s surviving, but not living. Ben realizes that for the first time in their lives, Kate needs his help and he’s determined to bring some much-needed chaos into her overly stable world. He starts by offering to help look after Maddie so Kate can get back to experiencing her mid-twenties and making mistakes, since the one real “mistake” she’s made turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to her. Always there to help with Ben’s crazy schemes is his partner-in-crime, TOMMY (newcomer Echo Kellum), who worships Ben like a hero and nurses a serious crush on Kate. Kate’s British best friend, BJ (Lucy Punch, “Bad Teacher”), is a cocktail waitress at the bar that Kate manages and an all-around hot mess who would do anything for Kate, even if her advice is often questionable and occasionally illegal. From writer/executive producer Dana Fox (NEW GIRL, “What Happens in Vegas”) and executive producer/director Jake Kasdan (NEW GIRL, “Bad Teacher”), BEN AND KATE is a heartwarming story of deeply mismatched siblings: a sister who needs to go for her dreams and a brother who needs to get his head out of the clouds.
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: 20^th Century Fox Television, Chernin Entertainment
CREATOR/WRITER/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Dana Fox
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Peter Chernin, Katherine Pope
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Jake Kasdan
CAST: Dakota Johnson as Kate, Nat Faxon as Ben, Maggie Jones as Maddie, Lucy Punch as BJ, Echo Kellum as Tommy

Sean’s Take: This show will run for ten seasons … if it’s called Two and a Half Men.  Don’t fool yourselves folks, there is zero originality in this one, but it’s a proven formula that works, so who knows where it will go.

THE MINDY PROJECT
THE MINDY PROJECT is a new single-camera comedy from Emmy Award-nominated writer/producer and New York Times best-selling author Mindy Kaling (“The Office”) that follows a woman who, despite having a successful career, desperately needs to break bad habits in her personal life. After all, how many doctors make inappropriate toasts at their ex-boyfriend’s wedding, nearly drown at the bottom of a stranger’s pool and get arrested for disorderly conduct just moments before having to deliver a baby? Funny, impatient and politically incorrect, MINDY LAHIRI (Kaling) can quote every romantic comedy starring Meg Ryan that exists. She loves the good ones and the bad ones, because the girl always gets the guy. Mindy is determined to be more punctual, spend less money, lose weight and read more books – all in pursuit of becoming a well-rounded perfect woman…who can meet and date the perfect guy. Mindy is a skilled OB/GYN and shares a practice with a few other doctors, none of whom make life any easier for her. JEREMY REED (British writer/comedian Ed Weeks) is the walking definition of total bad news. He not only shares a practice with Mindy, but sometimes her bed as well – despite her best efforts to resist. He is funny, self-absorbed and super sexy. In contrast, DANNY CASTELLANO (Chris Messina, “Damages”) is a hothead and guys’ guy who has a habit of stealing Mindy’s patients. Danny criticizes her for everything, including her struggling love life and her lack of professionalism – even though it’s obvious to everyone except Mindy that he secretly admires her work. His blue-collar childhood gives him a big chip on his shoulder, but he is a dedicated physician, which Mindy can’t stand to admit because he’s always getting on her case. Rounding out the office staff are the receptionists – BETSY PUTCH (Zoe Jarman, “Huge”), young, earnest and easily excitable, who thinks the world of Mindy and is always trying to impress her; and SHAUNA DICANIO (newcomer Dana DeLorenzo), a self-assured Jersey Girl who is indifferent to Mindy, always knows where the cool party is and carries a poorly concealed torch for Danny. Mindy is in constant communication with her beloved best friend from college, GWEN GRANDY (Anna Camp, “The Good Wife”), who also happens to be the governor’s daughter. Gwen is a hilarious, sometimes too-blunt friend, and secretly a former carefree party girl (which only Mindy seems to remember). Although Gwen is now happily married to a financial analyst, with a six-year-old daughter, this lawyer-turned-Pilates mom remains squarely in Mindy’s corner. As Mindy attempts to get her career off the ground and meet a guy who passes her red flag test (no drug habits, no skinny jeans and no secret families, among others), only time will tell if she gets her romantic comedy ending.
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Universal Television, 3 Arts Entertainment
CREATOR/WRITER/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Mindy Kaling
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Howard Klein, B.J. Novak (pilot)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Charles McDougall (pilot)
CAST: Mindy Kaling as Mindy, Chris Messina as Danny, Ed Weeks as Jeremy, Anna Camp as Gwen, Zoe Jarman as Betsy, Dana DeLorenzo as Shauna

Sean’s Take: Sounds extremely formulaic, but it’s been getting a lot of pre-announcement buzz.

New FOX Dramas for Fall 2012/13

THE MOB DOCTOR
For most physicians, the Hippocratic oath is sacred. But for one Chicago doctor, who is indebted to the mafia, saving lives isn’t her only concern. THE MOB DOCTOR is a fast-paced medical drama featuring a brilliant young female cardiothoracic surgeon who is split between two distinct worlds as she juggles her promising medical career with her lifelong debt as a doctor to Chicago’s Southside mob. DR. GRACE DEVLIN (Jordana Spiro, “My Boys”) is a top resident at Chicago’s Roosevelt Medical Center. Smart and self-assured, she’s heralded as one of the country’s most promising young surgeons. But family ties keep her glued to her Southside roots. To pay off her brother’s life-threatening gambling debt, she makes a deal with the devil and agrees to work “off book” for the mafia men she once despised.  During the day, Grace must deal with the emotionally compelling cases at Roosevelt Medical – a toddler in need of a heart transplant, an elderly man desperate to donate a lung to his sick wife, the mass chaos in the wake of a two-train collision on the ‘L.’ But in her other vastly different world, she must juggle an onslaught of mob-related demands, including operating in mob-sanctioned locations, removing bullets from dead bodies to hide incriminating evidence, saving a juiced-up race horse and covertly helping an aging mobster with his erectile dysfunction. All the while, Grace must keep her dual life a secret from everyone: her protective best friend, NURSE ROBERTA “RO” ANGELI (Floriana Lima, “Glory Daze”); her handsome, blue-blooded boyfriend, DR. BRETT ROBINSON (Zach Gilford, “Off The Map,” “Friday Night Lights”); her boss at Roosevelt Medical and Chief of Surgery, DR. STAFFORD WHITE (Zeljko Ivanek, “The Event,” “Damages”); her rival, DR. OLIVIA WATSON (Jaime Lee Kirchner, “Necessary Roughness,” “Mercy”); even her well-meaning screw-up brother, NATE (Jesse Lee Soffer, “As the World Turns”), and her overly dramatic mother, DANIELLA (Wendy Makkena, “NCIS”). The only one who knows the true scope of Grace’s activities is the man to whom Grace owes her debt: the charming and diabolical Southside mob boss CONSTANTINE ALEXANDER (William Forsythe, “Boardwalk Empire”), an oddly compassionate killer whose relationship with Grace is more than it seems. Recently released from prison, the former head of the Chicago mob looks to reclaim his place in the organization, with the help of his right-hand associate – and Grace’s ex-boyfriend – FRANCO (James Carpinello, “The Good Wife”). As Grace tries to heed the demands of these two conflicting worlds – not to mention the needs of her own slightly dysfunctional family – her moral center comes into direct conflict with the very immoral things she’s asked to do. But with nerves of steel and a tough-as-nails exterior, she somehow manages to make it all work – at least for now.
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Sony Pictures Television
CREATORS/WRITERS/EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Josh Berman, Rob Wright
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Michael Dinner
CAST: Jordana Spiro as Dr. Grace Devlin, William Forsythe as Constantine Alexander, Floriana Lima as Nurse “Ro” Angeli, Zach Gilford as Dr. Brett Robinson, Jaime Lee Kirchner as Dr. Olivia Watson, Zeljko Ivanek as Dr. Stafford White, James Carpinello as Franco, Jesse Lee Soffer as Nate Devlin, Wendy Makkena as Daniella Devlin

Sean’s Take: Who knows.  It’s replacing House, but swapping one medical show for another doesn’t guarantee success to be sure.

New FOX Dramas for Mid-Season 2012/13

THE FOLLOWING
THE FBI estimates there are currently over 300 active serial killers in the United States. What would happen if these killers had a way of communicating and connecting with each other? What if they were able to work together and form alliances across the country? What if one brilliant psychotic serial killer was able to bring them all together and activate a following? Welcome to THE FOLLOWING, the terrifying new thriller from creator/executive producer Kevin Williamson (“The Vampire Diaries,” “Dawson’s Creek,” the “Scream” franchise). When notorious serial killer JOE CARROLL (James Purefoy, “Rome”) escapes from death row and embarks on a new killing spree, the FBI calls former agent RYAN HARDY (Emmy-nominated actor Kevin Bacon, “X-Men: First Class”) to consult on the case. Having since withdrawn from the public eye, Hardy was responsible for Carroll’s capture nine years ago, after Carroll murdered 14 female students on the Virginia college campus where he taught literature. Hardy is a walking textbook of all-things Carroll. He knows him better than anyone; he is perhaps Carroll’s only psychological and intellectual match. But the Ryan Hardy who broke the Carroll case years ago isn’t the same man today. Wounded both physically and mentally by his previous pursuit of this serial killer, it’s been a long time since Hardy has been in the field. This investigation is his redemption, his call to action. In contrast to nine years ago, Hardy isn’t calling the shots on this case. He works closely with an FBI team, which includes all-business and tough-as-nails JENNIFER MASON (Jeananne Goossen, “The Vow,” ALCATRAZ) and young, razor-sharp MIKE WESTON (Shawn Ashmore, “X-Men”). The team considers Hardy to be more of a liability than an asset. But Hardy proves his worth when he uncovers that Carroll was covertly communicating with a network of killers in the outside world. It quickly becomes obvious that he has more planned than just a prison escape, and there’s no telling how many additional killers are out there. The FBI’s investigation leads Hardy to CLAIRE MATTHEWS (Natalie Zea, “Justified”), Carroll’s ex-wife and mother of the criminal’s 10-year-old son, JOEY (newcomer Kyle Catlett). Close during Hardy’s initial investigation, Hardy turns to Claire for insight into Carroll’s next move. The tension rises when Carroll’s accomplices kidnap his intended last victim from nine years ago. Hardy becomes ever more determined to end Carroll’s game when he realizes that this psychopath intends to finish what he started. The thriller will follow Hardy and the FBI as they are challenged with the ever-growing web of murder around them, masterminded by the devious Carroll, who dreams of writing a novel with Hardy as his protagonist. The reinvigorated Hardy will get a second chance to capture Carroll, as he’s faced with not one but a cult of serial killers.
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Warner Bros. Television, Outerbanks Entertainment, Bonanza Productions Inc.
CREATOR/WRITER/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Kevin Williamson
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Marcos Siega
CAST: Kevin Bacon as Ryan Hardy, James Purefoy as Joe Carroll, Jeananne Goossen as Agent Jennifer Mason, Natalie Zea as Claire Matthews, Kyle Catlett as Joey Matthews, Shawn Ashmore as Agent Weston, Valorie Curry as Denise, Adan Canto as Billy Thomas, Nico Tortorella as Will Wilson

Sean’s Take: One thing that immediately intrigues me is Kevin Bacon agreed to the series only if they would do 15 episodes a season.  You mean … like a cable show?  You mean … like I’ve been saying this is how the networks should look at shows from here on out?  I’m intrigued to see how it does for that reason alone.

New FOX Comedies for Mid-Season 2012/13

THE GOODWIN GAMES
Where there’s a will, there’s a way. And when that will’s worth more than 20 million dollars, you can bet someone’s going to find a way to get the cash. From the executive producers of “How I Met Your Mother,” THE GOODWIN GAMES is a single-camera comedy that tells the story of three grown siblings who return home after their father’s death, and unexpectedly find themselves poised to inherit a vast fortune – if they adhere to their late father’s wishes. If any of the Goodwin kids feel like they deserve the money, then it’s HENRY (Scott Foley, “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Felicity”), the eldest child and an overachieving surgeon. He sees himself as a role model for his less successful siblings – and reminds them every chance he gets. Returning home will force Henry to question the choices he’s made, especially as he reconnects with his first love and true soulmate, LUCINDA (Felisha Terrell, “Days of Our Lives”). Middle sibling CHLOE (Becki Newton, “Ugly Betty”) was a child prodigy in math, and her unofficial role as “the smart one” of the family still sends Henry into fits of jealousy. But long ago, Chloe gave up academics in favor of being the popular girl. Now, through a series of hidden messages, her late father will lead Chloe back to her old love of numbers – and back to the person she’s meant to be. Of the three siblings, the youngest, JIMMY (Jake Lacy, “Better With You”), could use the inheritance the most. A small-time ex-con and dull-witted guitarist who’s deep in debt to a loan shark, Jimmy may be the family screw-up, but he has more heart than anyone. Like his siblings, Jimmy’s also returning to something in this town: his eight-year-old daughter. Pulling the strings from beyond the grave is the children’s late father, BENJAMIN (guest star Beau Bridges, “The Descendants”), a college math professor. Guilty over not parenting his kids better, Benjamin has left behind a series of unique challenges – administered by his estate attorney APRIL (newcomer Melissa Tang). Through these tasks, Benjamin hopes he can get his children to rediscover their true selves and learn the lessons he failed to instill in them while he was alive. Their potential reward? More than 20 million dollars – a fortune that they never knew their father had – and the chance to become the people their father wanted them to be. So let THE GOODWIN GAMES begin!
PRODUCTION COMPANY: 20th Century Fox Television
CREATORS/WRITERS/EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Carter Bays, Craig Thomas, Chris Harris
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Peyton Reed (pilot)
CAST: Scott Foley as Henry, Becki Newton as Chloe, Jake Lacy as Jimmy, Felisha Terrell as Lucinda, Melissa Tang as April

Sean’s Take: At one point does it move from teaching his family lessons to just being obnoxious because no one will ever get the money?  Someone gets the money, the show ends, so it’s kind of like How I Met Your Mother has to keep dragging on forever.

The Overall Take

FOX didn’t change up a whole lot this season, but it really didn’t have any reason to as it’s had a good year.  One or two interesting concepts, but basically if you watch the network now, you will when these new shows hit.

Post from: SeanPAune.com

FOX 2012/2013 Schedule Announced

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Following its $207.3 million first weekend, pundits began to wonder what The Avengers could do in its second weekend.  No film had ever done more than 75 million in a second outing, and no comic book film has ever lost as little as 50%.  Well, this one did both.  Falling 50.3%, the film brought in another $103 million, bringing its domestic total to $373.1 million in just 10 days.  Combined with it’s foreign box office results, it is has pushed past the $1 billion benchmark in just 19 days.  It now looks set to breeze past $500 million domestic.

Coming in a very distant second was Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows with an anemic $28.8 million.  Combined with a traditionally soft weekend and The Avengers to deal with, this film had next to no chance, even with Johnny Depp in the lead role.

Third place went to Think Like a Man with another $6.3 million to add to its tally.  With a $12 million dollar budget and $81 million at the box office already, this film is making some executives very happy.

The Hunger Games continues to hold on with another $4.4 million which was enough to secure it a fourth place finish.

Rounding out the top five was The Lucky One with another $4 million.

Wednesday will see Sascha Baron Cohen’s The Dictator opening wide, and Friday will see What to Expect When You’re Expecting and Battleship will take their respective bows nationwide. As The Avengers has already over performed by leaps and bounds, some analysts are already calling next weekend a threepeat with the numbers for all of the movies opening being adjusted downwards for their opening tallies.  We’ll have to wait and see what happens, but I can’t say I disagree with those assessments.

Post from: SeanPAune.com

Avengers Sets Even More Records in its Second Weekend

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NBC FALL 2012-13 SCHEDULE

(New programs in UPPER CASE)

MONDAY

8-10 p.m. – “The Voice”

10-11 p.m. – “REVOLUTION”

TUESDAY

8-9 p.m. –“The Voice”

9-9:30 p.m. – “GO ON”

9:30-10 p.m. – “THE NEW NORMAL”

10-11 p.m. – “Parenthood”

WEDNESDAY

8-8:30 p.m. – “ANIMAL PRACTICE”

8:30-9 p.m. – “GUYS WITH KIDS”

9-10 p.m. – “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”

10-11 p.m. – “CHICAGO FIRE”

THURSDAY

8-8:30 p.m. – “30 Rock”

8:30-9 p.m. – “Up All Night”

9-9:30 p.m. – “The Office”

9:30-10 p.m. – “Parks and Recreation”

10-11 p.m. – “Rock Center with Brian Williams”

FRIDAY

8-8:30 p.m. – “Whitney”

8:30-9 p.m. – “Community”

9-10 p.m. – “Grimm”

10-11 p.m. – “Dateline NBC”

SATURDAY

Encore programming

SUNDAY (Fall 2012)

7- 8:15 p.m. — “Football Night in America”

8:15-11:30 p.m. — “NBC Sunday Night Football”

SUNDAY (Post-football/Winter 2013)

7-8 p.m. – “Dateline NBC”

8-9 p.m. – “Fashion Star”

9-10 p.m. – “The Celebrity Apprentice”

10-11 p.m. – “DO NO HARM”

Show descriptions at the “Continue Reading” link

2011-12 NEW NBC SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Links take you to the NBC preview pages which feature videos of the various shows.

New NBC Comedies for 2012/13

“Go On” — Misery loves company. Unless you’re sportscaster Ryan King (Matthew Perry, “Friends,” “Mr. Sunshine”) who thinks misery should just be left alone. After taking some time off, Ryan – who recently lost his wife in a car accident – is now ready to get back to work. And while he seems like his same old charming, cocky self, his boss won’t set him back on the air until he seeks counseling. So, Ryan reluctantly joins a support group with one goal in mind: get in, get out and get back on the radio as quickly as possible. Played by the fast-talking, sarcastic, and charismatic Perry, Ryan gives grief a real run for its money. Within one day of group therapy, he hijacks the meeting and suddenly the downtrodden are cajoled into playing a game of “who’s got the best sob story?” And in no time all of them are battling it out, trying to one-up each other’s despair. Now, this is fun! Ryan’s total lack of interest in healing might be just what this group needs – and maybe, exactly what he needs to move on with his life. Also starring are Tony winner Laura Benanti (“The Playboy Club”), Julie White (“Transformers”), Suzy Nakamura (“Dodgeball”), Khary Payton (“General Hospital”) and Allison Miller (“Terra Nova”).  From the Emmy-winning writer and executive producer Scott Silveri (“Perfect Couples,” “Friends”) comes a new series that proves grief can be good.  Todd Holland (“Malcolm in the Middle”) and Karey Burke (“Free Agents,” “Miss/Guided”) also serve as executive producers.  The pilot was directed by Holland. “Go On” is a production of Universal Television, Dark Toy Entertainment and Silver & Gold Productions.

Sean’s Take: Perry has a spotty track record at best in his post-Friends career.  Depending on how the cast gels, however, this could work as an ensemble, but it doesn’t sound overly promising.

“The New Normal” — These days, families come in all forms – single dads, double moms, sperm donors, egg donors, one-night-stand donors… It’s 2012 and anything goes. Bryan (Andrew Rannells, “Girls,” “The Book of Mormon”) and David (Justin Bartha, “The Hangover”) are a Beverly Hills couple and they have it all. Well, almost. With successful careers and a committed and loving partnership, the one thing missing is a baby. And just when they think the stars will never align, enter Goldie (Georgia King, “One Day”), an extraordinary young woman with a checkered past. A Midwestern waitress and single mother looking to escape her dead-end life and small-minded grandmother (Ellen Barkin, “Ocean’s Thirteen”), Goldie decides to change everything and move to L.A. with her precocious 8-year-old daughter.  Desperate and broke – but also fertile – Goldie quickly becomes the guys’ surrogate and quite possibly the girl of their dreams.  Surrogate mother, surrogate family. “The New Normal” is produced by 20^th Century Fox Television and Ryan Murphy Productions.  Murphy serves as creator/executive producer and director along with executive producer/creator/writer Ali Adler (“Glee,” “Chuck”) and executive producer Dante Di Loreto (“Glee,” “American Horror Story”).

Sean’s Take: This show is going to get attacked so quick by the likes of the Parents Television Council that heads will spin.  And here is your scenario: Season 1 – Get to know Goldie, Season 2 – the pregnancy Season 3 – Baby is born.  Not an original thought to be had here.

“Animal Practice” — Meet Dr. George Coleman (Justin Kirk, “Weeds”), a top-dog New York veterinarian. With an unorthodox style of operating, George’s success comes from his undeniable gift with animals of all kinds. That is, all but the human kind. Dorothy Crane once held the key to George’s heart, but today she also holds the key to the family business as she takes over Crane Animal Hospital.  Not only is she George’s new boss, but her romantic history with him and her lack of experience with animals is seriously cramping his style.  Dorothy is whip-smart and ambitious, and she’s going to make George pay for the past.  Needless to say, he’s determined not to make any changes in his (animal) kingdom — which includes poker games with a resident capuchin monkey.  Also starring are Tyler Labine (“Reaper,” “Sons of Tucson”) as Dr. Doug Jackson, a vet who’s great with animals but hapless in matters of the heart, Bobby Lee (“Harold & Kumar”) as Dr. Yamamoto, and newcomer Betsy Sodaro as Angela.  “Animal Practice” is a production of Universal Television and American Work Inc.  The executive producers are Scot Armstrong (“The Hangover Part II,” “Old School”) and Ravi Nandan (“Best Friends Forever”) of American Work Inc. (“Best Friends Forever”) along with Emmy Award winners Joe & Anthony Russo (“Community,” “Arrested Development”).  “Animal Practice” was written by Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka (“The Sitter”), who also serve as executive producers.  Gail Lerner (“Happy Endings”) also is an executive producer.  Directed by the Emmy-winning Russo brothers, “Animal Practice” is a comedy where the animals are running the asylum.

Sean’s Take: Didn’t Cheers do this when Kirstie Alley joined the cast?  It may get to a second season, though.

“Guys with Kids” — From Emmy winner and executive producer Jimmy Fallon comes a new comedy about three thirty-something dads trying to hold on to their youth, while holding onto their new babies’ hands.  Easy, right?  Thankfully, Chris (Jesse Bradford, “The West Wing”), Nick (Zach Cregger, “Friends with Benefits”) and Gary (Anthony Anderson, “Law & Order”) have each other to help navigate their survival as new dads, while still trying desperately to remain dudes. Balancing work or staying at home, painfully married or happily divorced, they know that taking care of the little ones while maintaining a social life is a daily challenge. Whether it’s hosing the little squirt down in the kitchen sink or hitting the bar strapped with a baby björn, these guys are on a roller-coaster adventure – parenting like you (and they) have never seen before.  Also starring are Jamie Lynn Sigler (“The Sopranos”) and Tempestt Bledsoe (“The Cosby Show”).  Someone once said it is much easier to become a father than to be one. These three guys are about to find out just how true that is. “Guys with Kids” is produced by Universal Television and Holiday Road.  Fallon (“Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”) serves as executive producer/creator along with executive producer/creator/writer Charlie Grandy (NBC’s “The Office”) and executive producer/creator Amy Ozols (“Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”) as well as executive producers Rick Wiener and Kenny Schwartz (“Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place,” “American Dad”).   Emmy-nominated director Scott Ellis (“Modern Family,” “30 Rock”) is the director.

Sean’s Take: Hmm, slight potential here.  We’ve seen movies of this, but never an ongoing series that I can recall.

“Save Me” — Welcome to the Midwestern suburbs, where exciting things never happen. Well, almost never.  After a near-death experience (choking on a hero sandwich), Beth (Emmy nominee Anne Heche, “Hung”) is revived only to realize she now has a direct line to God. Of course, her husband Tom (Michael Landes, “Final Destination 2”) is skeptical and dismissive – and his mistress (Alexandra Breckenridge, “American Horror Story”) is stunned to learn that her lover’s wife is now a prophet!  But when inexplicable things begin to happen, everyone’s beliefs are tested. Beth starts to say and do things that shock her family and entrance her friends, but she isn’t going to be your typical “fire and brimstone” prophet. Let’s just say, if God had a desperate housewife as His mouthpiece, Beth would be it!  She is the absolute last person on Earth who would be chosen. Then again, they say He works in mysterious ways. And this one is a real mystery! Heather Burns (“Bored to Death”) and Madison Davenport (“Shameless”) also star.  “Save Me” is produced by Sony Pictures Television and Original Film. Novelist John Scott Shepherd (“Henry’s List of Wrongs,” “The Days”) is executive producer/creator along with executive producer/director Scott Winant (“Breaking Bad,” “True Blood,” “Californication”) and executive producers Neal H. Moritz (“The Big C,” “Prison Break,” “Fast Five”), Vivian Cannon (“The Big C”) and Alexa Junge (“Friends,” “Sex and the City”).

Sean’s Take: Lets see what happens when we turn Joan of Arcadia into a comedy.  Add in PTC attacks, this won’t make it through the first season.

“1600 Penn” — The Gilchrists are just the average American family dealing with all the everyday issues – like a grown kid who’s forced to move back home, children who are smarter than their teachers and a stepmom (Jenna Elfman, “Dharma and Greg”) desperately trying to win over the kids. They’re loving, fun and a little crazy. In other words, just like everybody else. With one exception: they live in a very special house. The White House! Whether it’s entertaining foreign dignitaries, sneaking away for a night out, dealing with middle school crushes or putting out fires – figuratively and sometimes literally – there’s never a dull moment in the Gilchrist White House. For example, the First Son (Josh Gad, star of Broadway sensation “The Book of Mormon”) is one of the administration’s biggest liabilities, but also the glue that holds this family together. The President (Bill Pullman, “Independence Day,” “While You Were Sleeping”) knows too well that the only thing harder than being Head of State is being head of the family. Also starring are Martha MacIsaac (“Superbad”), Andre Holland (“Friends with Benefits”), Amara Miller (“The Descendants”) and Benjamin Stockham (“Sons of Tucson”).  “Modern Family” meets “The West Wing” in this election-year comedy from Emmy-winning executive producer/director Jason Winer (“Modern Family”). The executive producers are Winer, Gad and Jon Lovett (former White House speechwriter).  Winer also directed the pilot.  “1600 Penn” is produced by 20th Century Fox.

Sean’s Take: White House shows, with the exception of The West Wing, have never done well.  I don’t see this one lasting.

“Next Caller” — What happens when a foulmouthed satellite radio DJ – played by the multi-platinum selling artist and outrageously charming Dane Cook (“My Best Friend’s Girl”) – is forced to share the mic with a chipper NPR feminist?  It’s anyone’s call in this sharp new comedy from producer Stephen Falk (“Weeds”) and Emmy-winning director Marc Buckland (“Grimm,” “My Name Is Earl”). It’s her first day in New York City, and 26-year-old Stella Hoobler (Collette Wolfe, “Young Adult”) is ready to take on the world.  After a stint on public radio, she’s been hired to co-host the no-holds-barred show “Booty Calls with Cam Dunne.” Smart, spunky and passionate, Stella is determined to elevate the show beyond its boy’s-club-locker-room humor into a respected debate about men, women and the state of human relationships. But there’s a problem: Cam!  She’s going to find out the hard way that he’s got no intention of sharing the spotlight, especially with someone like her. It’s going to be a tense fight, but with the station’s one rule being “make some noise,” Cam and Stella could be a winning combination – as long as they don’t knock each other out on their way to success.  Jeffrey Tambor (“Arrested Development”), Joy Osmanski (“True Jackson, VP”) and Wolé Parks (“Premium Rush”) also star.  The series is created and executive-produced by Stephen Falk (“Weeds”) and directed by Emmy Award-winning director Marc Buckland (“Grimm,” “My Name Is Earl”), who also serves as executive producer on the pilot.  “Next Caller” is produced by Lionsgate Television and Universal Television.

Sean’s Take: Five years ago this would have been a smash hit, but I honestly quit reading the second I saw “Dane Cook.”

New NBC Dramas for 2012/13

“Revolution” — Our entire way of life depends on electricity. So what would happen if it just stopped working? Well, one day, like a switch turned off, the world is suddenly thrust back into the dark ages. Planes fall from the sky, hospitals shut down, and communication is impossible. And without any modern technology, who can tell us why?  Now, 15 years later, life is back to what it once was long before the industrial revolution: families living in quiet cul-de-sacs, and when the sun goes down lanterns and candles are lit. Life is slower and sweeter. Or is it?  On the fringes of small farming communities, danger lurks. And a young woman’s life is dramatically changed when a local militia arrives and kills her father, who mysteriously – and unbeknownst to her – had something to do with the blackout. This brutal encounter sets her and two unlikely companions off on a daring coming-of-age journey to find answers about the past in the hopes of reclaiming the future.  From director Jon Favreau (“Iron Man,” “Iron Man 2”) and the fertile imaginations of J.J. Abrams (“Lost,” “Person of Interest”) and Eric Kripke (“Supernatural”), comes a surprising “what if” action-adventure series, where an unlikely hero will lead the world out of the dark. Literally. The series stars Billy Burke (“The Twilight Saga”), Tracy Spiridakos (“Being Human”), Anna Lise Phillips (“Terra Nova”), Zak Orth (“Romeo + Juliet“), Graham Rogers (“Memphis Beat”), J.D. Pardo (“A Cinderella Story”),  Giancarlo Esposito (“Breaking Bad”), David Lyons (“The Cape”), Maria Howell (“The Blind Side”), Tim Guinee (“Iron Man”) and Andrea Roth (“Rescue Me”).  Kripke, Abrams, Favreau and Bryan Burk (“Lost,” “Star Trek”) serve as executive producers.  “Revolution” is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Bad Robot Productions, Kripke Enterprises and Warner Bros. Television.  The pilot was directed by Favreau.

Sean’s Take: The names attached to this one give it a shot, but it totally depends on the production values and strengths of the script.

“Chicago Fire” — No job is more stressful, dangerous or exhilarating than those of the Firefighters, Rescue Squad and Paramedics of Chicago Firehouse 51. These are America’s everyday heroes — the courageous men and women who forge headfirst into danger when everyone else is running the other way. But the enormous responsibilities of the job also take a personal toll. Big reputations and hefty egos, coupled with the pressure to perform and make split-second decisions, are bound to put squad members at odds. When a tragedy claims one of their own, there’s plenty of guilt and blame to go around. In the middle of a divorce, Lt. Matthew Casey (Jesse Spencer, “House M.D.”) tries to go about business as usual but can’t help butting heads with the brash Lt. Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney, “The Vampire Diaries”) of the Rescue Squad – and each blames the other for their fallen team member.  When it’s “go-time” though, they put aside their differences and put everything on the line for each other. “Chicago Fire” is a look inside one of America’s noblest professions. Also starring are Eamonn Walker (“The Messenger”), Charlie Barnett, (“Law & Order: SVU”), David Eigenberg (“Sex and the City”), Monica Raymund (“The Good Wife”), Lauren German (“Hawaii Five-O”), Teri Reeves (“Three Rivers”) and Merle Dandridge (“Sons of Anarchy”).  “Chicago Fire” is produced by Universal Television and Wolf Films.  Emmy Award-winning creator/ producer Dick Wolf (“Law & Order” brand), Derek Haas (“3:10 to Yuma”), Michael Brandt (“3:10 to Yuma”), Peter Jankowski (“Law & Order” brand) and Danielle Gelber serve as executive producers.  Haas and Brandt wrote the pilot, which was directed by Jeffrey Nachmanoff (“Homeland”). From renowned Emmy-winning producer Dick Wolf and the writing team behind “3:10 to Yuma” comes an edge-of-your-seat view of a dirty job that often means the difference between life and death.

Sean’s Take: These shows are always hit and miss.  For every ER there is a NYC 22, you just never know which it’s going to be before it starts.

“Do No Harm” — Dr. Jason Cole (Steven Pasquale, “Rescue Me”) is a highly respected neurosurgeon who has it all – a lucrative career, confident charm, the gift of compassion. But he also has a deep, dark secret. One morning when he wakes up disoriented in a wrecked hotel room amidst several near-naked women he’s never seen before, he knows one thing: it’s happening again. Every night at the same hour, something inside Jason changes, leaving him almost unrecognizable – seductive, devious, borderline sociopathic. This new man is his dangerous alternate personality who goes by the name of ‘Ian Price.’ For years he’s battled Ian, keeping him in check with a powerful experimental sedative.  But now his – their – body has developed a resistance to the serum, setting Ian free once again. And to make matters worse, after being suppressed for so long, Ian’s hell-bent on taking revenge on his oppressor. With everyone Jason cares about at risk – patients, friends, coworkers and even the woman he loves – he’s got to stop Ian once and for all. Will they find some common ground, or will they bring each other down? Hell hath no fury like an alter ego scorned. Also starring are Alana De La Garza (“Law & Order”), Mousa Kraish (“Superbad”), Michael Esper (“A Beautiful Mind”), Ruta Gedmintas (“The Borgias”) and Phylicia Rashad (“The Cosby Show”).  “Do No Harm” is produced by Universal Television and Traugott Company.  The executive producer/writer is David Schulner (“Desperate Housewives,” “The Event”).  Peter Traugott (“Ringer”) and Rachel Kaplan (“Ringer”) also are executive producers.  Michael Mayer (NBC’s “Smash”) is the co-executive producer and director.

Sean’s Take:  A modern day Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.  Maybe … not sure until I see it.

“Infamous” — When wealthy socialite and notorious party girl Vivian Bowers is found dead of an overdose, no one is really surprised.  The heiress to the Bowers pharmaceutical empire has been tabloid fodder for years: wild, pretty, privileged… and now dead at the age of 32.  But for FBI agent Will Moreno (Laz Alonso, “Avatar”), things don’t add up with this suspicious dynasty.  Convinced that the troubled girl’s death was a homicide, he has a clever plan to get to the truth.  Her name is Detective Joanna Locasto (Meagan Good, “Think Like a Man”).  Twenty years ago, she was Vivian’s best friend, having grown up in the Bowers’ home as daughter of the family housekeeper.  And when she appears at Vivian’s funeral, the family re-embraces her and no one is the wiser.  Joanna quickly begins to uncover dark secrets and clues about why Vivian’s life was very much in danger.  At the same time, she rekindles an old romantic relationship and rediscovers the allure of the luxurious lifestyle she once knew.  She’s about to see once again just how the other half lives… and dies.  Also starring are Victor Garber (“Alias”), Tate Donovan (“Damages”), Katherine La Nasa (“Alfie”), Neil Jackson (“Quantum of Solace”) and Ella Rae Peck (“Gossip Girl”).  “Infamous” comes from executive producer/writer Liz Heldens (“Friday Night Lights”) and director Peter Horton (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Dirty Sexy Money”).  Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun and Gene Stein are also executive producers.  The series is from Universal Television and BermanBraun.

Sean’s Take: And once again we have a very limited story arc that a network will try to stretch and stretch.

“Hannibal” — One of the most fascinating literary characters comes to life on television for the first time: psychiatrist-turned-serial-killer, Dr. Hannibal Lecter.  In this new drama from Bryan Fuller (“Pushing Daisies,” “Heroes”), based on the characters from Thomas Harris’ classic novels, we see where this incredible story began. Will Graham (Hugh Dancy, “The Big C”) is a gifted criminal profiler who is on the hunt for a serial killer with the FBI. Graham’s unique way of thinking gives him the astonishing ability to empathize with anyone – even psychopaths. He seems to know what makes them tick. But when the mind of the twisted killer he’s pursuing is too complicated for even Will to comprehend, he enlists the help of Dr. Lecter, one of the premier psychiatric minds in the country. Armed with the uncanny expertise of the brilliant doctor, Will and Hannibal (known as a serial killer only to the audience) form a brilliant partnership and it seems there’s no villain they can’t catch. If Will only knew…  Fuller is writer and executive producer.  Martha De Laurentis (“Red Dragon,” “Hannibal”), Sara Colleton (“Dexter”), Jesse Alexander (“Lost”, “Heroes”), and Katie O’Connell also serve as executive producers.  David Slade is the director/executive producer for the series pilot.  ”Hannibal” is produced by Gaumont International Television.

Sean’s Take: I’ve been dreading this.  I don’t see how this can possibly work on network television.  Yes, it will garner some initial interest, but I expect to see it slide quickly.

The Overall Take

Well, it certainly looks better than last year’s line-up, but not by a whole lot.  Lots of limited ideas.  Interesting, though, to see NBC re-embracing comedy.  Now can they capture some of that old magic?

Post from: SeanPAune.com

NBC 2012/2013 Schedule Announced

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The week before the network upfront presentations is usually filled with flowers and love as shows pick up renewals for the coming season.  This year, the axe has swung hard and 15 shows met an early demise.  By comparison, last year only three shows went out to pasture the week before the uppresentations.

What in the world happened?

To be fair, a couple of the shows – Pan Am for instance – were a foregone conclusion, but that still didn’t stop this week from looking like a massacre.  Shows that met their demise just this week include:

• Alcatraz (Fox)
• Are You There, Chelsea? (NBC)
• Awake (NBC)
• Bent (NBC)
• Best Friends Forever (NBC)
• Breaking In (Fox)
• The Finder (Fox)
• GCB (ABC)
• Harry’s Law (NBC)
• I Hate My Teenage Daughter (Fox)
• Missing (ABC)
• Pan Am (ABC)
• Ringer (CW)
• The River (ABC)
• The Secret Circle (CW)

The scary thing is, more cancellations are expected in the coming days.  CSI: Miami and CSI: NY are both on the edge with the latter looking like a given at this point.  Although, it was revealed last week that all three versions of the show are the most watched shows in the world, so who knows what will happen.

What’s worth noting here is that only two of the shows that got chopped were older than a season (Breaking In and Harry’s Law), all the rest were freshman series.  And a lot of them share some common problems.  Going back to my breakdown of the new shows from last May, here is what I had to say about Missing:

Sean’s take: I like Ashley Judd, but this, like so many shows last season, sounds like the plot of a limited series or a movie, not a full-blown series.  They will keep it interesting by just teasing the heck out of the audience, and that quickly get boring.

And The River:

Sean’s take: Wow … I think I fell asleep reading the description.

The networks are so desperate for anything to hit in this age of hundreds of channels that they are throwing everything at the wall that they can to see what sticks.  They are taking concepts that are at best a six to 12 episode limited run and attempting to stretch them into 22 episodes just to get them through one season let alone multiple ones.

With this many shows having gone off the air, we are going to be faced with a ton of new programming.  ABC has already picked up at least six new shows, and the early breakdowns don’t sound promising to me.

Network television needs to be fixed, and it needs to be fixed quickly.  Chuck the 22 episode season and go with shorter, more focused ideas.  It works pretty much everywhere else in the world, and it works for a slew of cable shows.  Break the year into three segments (fall, spring and summer) with 13 episode runs per time area.  Yes, this equals 39 weeks, but it gives you breathing room for holidays, and the winter is pretty much a wasteland of reruns anyway.

Perhaps if the networks would go with something like this, we wouldn’t see another block of 15 shows get killed off in the span of five days.

Post from: SeanPAune.com

This TV Season Could be Labeled a Bloodbath

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It was announced back in January that The CW was ordering up a pilot entitled Arrow which would be based on the Green Arrow from DC Comics.  Not too long after that a casting sheet leaked out that pretty much convinced me that once again the network was going to mess this up just as it had with Smallville.

Well, never fear, it was announced today that The CW has ordered the pilot to series according to TV Line, so now we can all enjoy in the pain.  At the same time the network also picked up it’s re-imagining of Beauty and the Beast as well as the Sex and the City prequel The Carrie Diaries, so apparently the network just wants to annoy as many fan bases as possible in one season.

Seeing as The CW canceled The Secret Circle and Ringer today, but renewed Nikita, it looks like you can expect these new shows to air sometime between Monday and Thursday as Friday is full and it doesn’t run original content on the weekends.

A lot of shows have been canceled and renwed in the past couple days, so you may want to take a look at the constantly updating Which TV Shows are Canceled and Renewed for 2012/2013 post again.

[via TV Line]

Post from: SeanPAune.com

Arrow Gets a Series Order from The CW

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I’m not a fan of Sean Penn. Never have been, probably never will be. I’m also not big on Ryan Gosling. I do, however, like Emma Stone, Josh Brolin and Giovanni Ribisi. Mixing all of them together in a movie I’ve heard next to nothing about seems like a recipe for disaster, but I’m also a sucker for the 1940′s.

As of yet Gangster Squad doesn’t have a release date, but the trailer out, and it definitely grabbed my attention.

Will it suck? Probably. For now, though, color me intrigued.

And in case you were wondering who everyone in the trailer was:

• Ryan Gosling as Sgt. Jerry Wooters
• Emma Stone as Grace Faraday
• Sean Penn as Mickey Cohen
• Josh Brolin as John O’Mara
• Anthony Mackie as Rocky Washington
• Giovanni Ribisi as Conway Keeler
• Robert Patrick as Max Kennard
• Josh Pence as Darryl Gates
• Frank Grillo as Jimmy Reagan
• Mireille Enos as Connie O’Mara
• Michael Peña as Navidad Ramirez[8]
• Nick Nolte as Bill Parker[9]
• James Hébert as Mitch Racine
• Maxwell Perry Cotton as Charlie
• Lucy Walsh as Manicurist
• Troy Garity as One-Eyed Assassin
• James Carpinello as Johnny Stompanato

Post from: SeanPAune.com

Gangster Squad Trailer Gets Me Interested

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According to sources speaking with Deadline, Universal has picked up the rights to Kick-Ass from Lionsgate and plans to move full-speed ahead on a sequel to the cult hit.  New deals will need to be struck with the characters who played the three surviving characters: Aaron Johnson (Dave/Kick-Ass), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Chris/Red Mist) and Chloe Moretz (Mindy/Hit-Girl).  It will be Moretz that may pose the most issues as she has aged quite a bit since the original and has become quite the in-demand actress since the original film.  (Mainly because she stole the film.)

Matthew Vaughn who directed the original is committed to the X-Men: First Class sequel, so he would be unavailable when it came time to film.  He, however, has supposedly given his blessing to new director Jeff Wadlow who has also penned the script.

The original film was made for $30 million and grossed $48 million domestic and $48 million foreign for a $96 million worldwide gross.  While it didn’t make a huge return on its theatrical run, it has gone on to do well on home video and build up a cult following.  In a lot of cases such as this, the sequel will perform better than original as people who got acquainted with the original via home viewings wil go out to see the follow-up.  Will it be a giant hit?  Nope.  Will I be thrilled to get a sequel?  While I loved the original, it had its issues (I still can’t get over that jet pack), but I would gladly plopped down my money for another outing with Kick-Ass and Hit-Girl.

[via Deadline]

Post from: SeanPAune.com

Kick-Ass 2 May Land at Universal with Filming to Begin this Summer

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According to police reports, Kacy Christine Wilson, 28, was taken into custody last week over allegations she had sex with a 16-year-old student.  Supposedly Ms. Wilson called the student out of another class at Osceola High School under the guise that he had left something in her room when he left class.  The student, who has since confirmed the event, claims that upon entering the room she slammed him against a wall and began to make out with him.  As the incident progressed she moved them into a closet attached to her room and proceeded to have sexual intercourse with him.

The allegations first arose last October when an anonymous letter to the school leveled accusations that Ms. Wilson had engaged in sexual relations with multiple students.  The letter was turned over to the authorities for investigation, but when she was confronted with the information she refuted the claims, resigned her position and moved to Colorado.

Up until recently the student had not confirmed the claims, but on April 20 he officially went on record with everything that had happened.  He went to the police and confirmed the original allegations and also provided them with topless photos Wilson had recently texted to him.

Wilson was arrested in Salida, Colorado and extradited to Osceola County where she is now in jail with her bond set at $85,000.

[Thanks to Jo for the tip]

Post from: SeanPAune.com

Florida Teacher Accused with Having Sex with Student During Class

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